Automatic toilet flusher



June 2, 1964 w. o. GELHAR 3,134,986

AUTOMATIC TOILET FLUSHERY Filed Oct. 9, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Makecontact Swit ch Switch I thermoswitch clo ;/es 0 ens 332 FIG.2.

Time Time delay Get off Step on p d pad 0 -Operation of I l N VE N T 0 Rthermoswitch W l L L O. L H A R E -Operation of pad 1 ATT June 2, 1964w. o. GELHAR AUTOMATIC TOILET FLUSHER 2 Sheet-$heet 2 Filed Oct. 9,1961' Fuss.

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INVENTOR WIL Y O gELHAR United States Patent 3,134,986 AUTOMATIC TOILETFLUSHER Willy O. Gelhar, Dorval, Quebec, Canada, assignor to PalleonElectronics Limited, Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of CanadaFiled Oct. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 143,679

' Claims. (Cl. 4249)' This invention relates to an automatic toiletfiusher that is positively person-actuated but with a time-delay controlto prevent flushing until the user has departed from the toilet.

A toilet flusher of this nature will be seen in US. patent application,Serial No. 795,176, filed February 24, 1959, matured into Patent No.3,121,880, dated February 25, 1964, on my earlier invention thatdiscloses an apparatus comprising a Sensing device, a Memory device andan Actuating device. In that invention the sensing device relayed theinformation from a pressure-operated item such as a foot pad or toiletseat engaged by the user about to use the toilet; the memory deviceaccepted and stored the information and caused certain actions whenrequired; and the actuating device started the flushing cycle. Thusthere was provided a time-delay following the circuit closing by thepressure-operated sensing device on the users approach, a prolongedholding period by means of the memory device while the toilet wasoccupied, and a time-delay by the actuating device in starting theflushing after the user had departed.

The present invention appertains particularly to the socalled memorydevice per se, accepting information from the existing sensing device oran equivalent, storing it temporarily and subsequently causing certainactions when desired.

The principal object of my improved invention is to provide a memoryunit for an automatic toilet flusher that is entirely electro-mechanicalin nature in place of the electronic control in the above-mentionedpending application.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electro-mechanicalmemory unit that is compatible with the sensing and actuating devices ofmy earlier invention, or their equivalents.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic toiletflusher memory unit of simplified circuitry, requiring virtually nowarm-up time, employing no tubes with the resultant elimination of heatdissipation inside the box enabling the same to be entirely enclosed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electro-mechanicalmemory device for an automatic toilet fiusher of smaller more compactform, using fewer parts, capable of manufacture and installation atlower cost and that needs no subsequent control adjustment.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall becomeapparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly describedwhen reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosurewherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a conventional type flush tank toiletprovided with a solenoid flushing actuator floor mat and toilet seatcircuit closers and a box housing the improved electro-mechanical unitthat is wired in with the circuit closers and flushing actuator;

FIGURE 2 is a graph showing the delay operation of the switchcontrolling the flushing operation;

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FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic layout of the controlling circuit for theflushing device, referred to herein as the memory device; e

' FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the modified relay employed insuchcircuit; having an adjustably weighted armature lever; and

FIGURE 5 is a diagram of a converter suitable for installation eitherinside or outside the memory device housing, and permitting any desiredvoltage range (e.g. 24 v.) for the flushing actuator.

Referring now to the drawings, there will be seen illustrated in FIGURE1, a conventional type toilet fixture 1 having the usual tank 2 andhinged seat 3. A pressure contact circuit closer 4 is mounted on theunderside of the seat 3. A floor pad or mat 5 is arranged in front ofthe toilet fixture 1 and it too includes a pressure sensitive circuitcloser 6. These circuit closers 4 and 6 are connected in parallel to theelectro-mechanical memory device housed in box 7 by the lead wires 8 and9.

In the tank 2, a solenoid actuator 10, similar to that shown in mymentioned pending application, is employed to unseat the usual rubberball valve, such actuator being connected to the control box 7 by leadwires 11 and 12. It will be clearly seen that the structure thus fardescribed agrees with the so-called sensing device and actuator deviceportions of my earlier invention.

The electro-mechanical memory device, being the substance of thisinvention is shown as housed in the box 7 and serviced by the regular110 v. line, represented by lead-in wires 14 and 15. In FIGURE 3, thesimple circuitry, with no tubes, no oscillations, and no printed circuitboard but utilizing standard approved parts almost entirely, is shown.

The 110 v. service line wires 14 and 15 attach to terminals 16 and 17;the lead wires 8 and 9 from the parallel circuit closers 4 and 6 attachto terminals 18 and 19 and the flushing actuator solenoid lines 11 and12 run terminals 20 and 21. When a person about to use the toilet Ioperates either of the circuit closers 4 or 6 in the seat and floor padrespectively, the heater element in a thermoswitch after a controlledtime-delay makes contact sending direct current (DC) through the coil ofrelay 26. Direct current is supplied from rectifier 27, in

, combination with resistor 28, capacitator 29 and resistor 30 as areturn path. The flow of current through the coil of relay 26 causes thearmature to be attracted and this condition continues as long as thefloor pad or toilet seat switch (sensing device) is actuated. Here, forthe time being, action is fully arrested; nothing further occurs.

When the person using the toilet departs, rising from the toilet seat orstepping ofi the pad, the following operation ensues: The circuitclose-rs 4 and/ or 6 open causing voltage from the heater supply to thethermoswitch 25 to be cut off but the stored heat in the thermoswitchholds the contacts at make for a certain period of time. This delayenables the user to leave the area of the toilet without embarrassmentof rushing water of the flushing operation. On completion of thetime-delay, the contacts of thermoswitch 25 open, arresting flow ofdirect current through the coil of relay 26, de-energizing the same andreleasing the armature. This momentary release of the armature and theresulting spring action influenced by the specially Weighted relayarmature, to be hereinafter more fully described, causes the relaycontacts 36 to make" for a brief period of time (bounce), during whichperiod the charging capacitor 31 receives an electrical charge andimmediately commences to discharge over the coil of relay 32 attractingits armature and closing contacts 33, thereby supplying controlledvoltage to the solenoid actuator 10 by the lines 11 and 12 from theterminals 20 and 21. It is to be noted that the duration of thisoperation of the flushing solenoid actuator may be controlled byvariation of the capacitor 31. Thus the flushing solenoid 10 (actuatingdevice) starts the flushing cycle by electro-mechanical means. Adropping resistor 34 for the pad is on the line leading in from thesensing device circuit closer terminal 18. Capacitor 35 preventsexcessive arcing of the contacts of relay 26. Transformer 37 suppliesthe low voltage for the seat and pad circuit closers 4 and 6. Resistor38 serves as a. suppressor for transients.

In FIGURE 4, my modified relay 26 is shown. To facilitate regulating thebounce of this relay 26, on the de-energizing of its coil 40, I employproperly adjusted, lower contact springs 41 as leaf springs for therequired loading of the armature 42 While at the energized position.Break of current in the coil permits these leaf springs to relax andmove the armature upwards. To carefully regulate the upward moment orbounce of this armature, to provide temporary closing of the contacts 36feeding the charging capacitor 31, and discharging over the coil ofrelay 32, the plate 43 on the forward end of the armature has a threadedaperture 44 for the reception of the threaded stud 45 on a weighted head46. As the operation of this special relay 26 controls the actuation ofthe flushing solenoid 10, by the variation of the capacitor 31, theimportance of the weighting of the armature to regulate its bounce willbe appreciated.

Should it be desired to vary the voltage range as for instance to use a.low voltage (e.g. 24 v.) for the flushing solenoid actuator 10, avoltage converter such as is shown in FIGURE may be employed. The 110 v.service line Wires 14 and 15 would connect also with terminals 56 and 51leading to the transformer 52. The control voltage from the memorydevice circuit hereinbefore described and illustrated in FIGURE 3 wouldrun from terminals 29, 21 and connect with terminals 53 and 54 andthrough a repeater relay 55 provide the output for the flushing actuatorsolenoid at the terminals 56 and 57. Such a voltage converter could beinstalled either in or outside the control box 7 as circumstances mightsuggest.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be manifest that an electro mechanical unit for anautomatic toilet flusher is provided that will fulfil all the necessaryrequirements of such a device, but as many changes could be made in theabove description and many apparently widely diiferent embodiments ofthe invention may be constructed within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it isintended that all matters contained in the said accompanyingspecification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limitative or restrictive sense.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In automatic toilet flushing apparatus, electrical circuit means forflushing a toilet including a normally open person-operated circuitcloser, a time-delay thermoswitch actuated upon closing of said normallyopen person-operated circuit closer, a first relay energized byactuation of said time-delay thermoswitch, spaced contacts juxtaposedwith respect to said first relay for mak ing and breaking thereof bysaid first relay, a capacitor energized upon making of said spacedcontacts, and a second relay energized by said capacitor, said firstrelay including a weighted armature having an adjustable weighted headat the forward end thereof coacting with said spaced contacts in themaking and breaking of said spaced contacts whereby to momentarilyenergize said second relay by the action of said weighted armature ofsaid first relay immediately upon deenergizing of said first relay, saidsecond relay completing the electrical circuit means for toiletflushing, said time-delay thermoswitch, first relay, spaced contacts,capacitor and second relay being assembled as a unit.

2. In automatic toilet flushing apparatus, electrical circuit means forflushing a toilet including a normally open person-operated circuitcloser, a time-delay thermoswitch actuated upon closing of said normallyopen personoperated circuit closer, a first relay including a weightedarmature having an adjustable weighted head at the forward end thereof,said weighted armature being energized by actuation of said time-delaythermoswitch, spaced contacts, said contacts being juxtaposed inoperable relationship with respect to said weighted armature to coactwith said weighted head of said weighted armature in momentarily makingand then breaking said spaced contacts on the tie-energizing of saidweighted armature, and a second relay energized momentarily by theaction of said weighted armature on the de-energizing of said weightedarmature and completing the electric circuit means for toilet flushing,said time-delay thermoswitch, first relay, spaced contacts and secondrelay being assembled as a unit.

3. In automatic toilet flushing apparatus, electrical circuit means forflushing a toilet including normally open person-operated parallelcircuit closers, a time-delay thermoswitch actuated upon closing of anyof said parallel circuit closers, a first relay including a weightedarmature having an adjustable weighted head at the forward end thereof,said weighted armature being energiz d by actuation of said time-delaythermoswitch, spaced contacts, said spaced contacts being juxtaposed inoperable relationship with respect to said weighted armature to coactwith said weighted head of said weighted armature in momentarily makingand then breaking said spaced contacts on the de-energizing of saidweighted armature, and a second relay energized momentarily by theaction of said weighted armature on the de-energizing of said weightedarmature and completing the electric circuit means for toilet flushing,said time-delay thermoswitch, first relay, spaced contacts and secondrelay being assembled as a unit.

4. Automatic toilet flushing apparatus as specified in claim 3 whereinsaid electrical circuit means includes a charging capacitor energized bythe making of said spaced contacts and said" charging capacitormomentarily energizes said second relay by the action of said weightedarmature on the de-energizing of said weighted armature, and a capacitorjuxtaposed with respect to said spaced contacts to prevent excessivearcing of said spaced contacts.

5. In automatic toilet flushing. apparatus, electrical circuit means forflushing a toilet including a normally open person-operated circuitcloser; an electrically controlled fiushing device; and anelectro-mechanical unit for actuation of said flushing device inresponse to the operation of said circuit closer, saidelectro-mechanical unit including a transformer actuated upon closure ofsaid circuit closer, a time-delay thermoswitch actuated by saidtransformer, a first relay including a weighted armature having anadjustable Weighted head at the for- Ward end thereof, said weightedarmature being operably interconnected to said time-delay thermoswitchfor the energizing and holding inactive of said weighted armature uponclosure of said circuit closer and. for a short time period after theopening thereof, spaced contacts, said spaced contacts being juxtaposedin operable relationship with respect to said weighted armature to coactwith said weighted head of said weighted armature in momentarily makingand then breaking said spaced contacts on the de-energi zing' of saidWeighted armature, a capacitor energized by making of said spacedcontacts, and a normally open second relay controlling actuation of saidelectrically controlled flushing device, said sec.- ond relay beingmomentarily energized by said capacitor and actuating said electricallycontrolled flushing device on the Clo-energizing of said armature.

6. In automatic toilet, flushing apparatus, the combination of a toilethaving a flushing supply; a source of electrical energy; and electricalcircuit means interconnected to said source of electrical energy inoperable relationship for flushing said toilet, said electrical circuitmeans including a solenoid device for flushing said toilet, an electriccircuit for actuating said solenoid device, a. person-operated circuitcloser disposed in juxtaposition to said toilet for actuation thereof bya person using said toilet, and an electro-mechanical unit controllingcompletion of said electric circuit for actuating said solenoid device,said electro-mechanical unit including a transformer, rectifier, firstand second capacitors, first relay, normally open spaced contacts,charging capacitor, second relay, and time-delay thermoswitch, saidtransformer being interconnected with said source of electrical energyand with said. circuit closer for actuation thereof upon closure of saidcircuit closer, said rectifier being interconnected with said source ofelectrical energy and said first relay for supplying direct current tosaid first relay, said first capacitor being in the return path thereof,said first relay including an armature, said armature being in operablerelationship with respect to said spaced con tacts and including meansfor momentarily closing and then opening said spaced contacts onde-energizing of said arr nature, said second capacitor being juxtaposedwith respect to said spaced contacts to prevent excessive arcing of saidspaced contacts, said charging capacitor being interconnected to saidspaced contacts for momentary energizing thereof upon closure of saidspaced contacts, said second relay being momentarily energized by saidcharging capacitor by the coaction of said armature and said spacedcontacts on the de-energizing of said armature and interconnected withsaid electric circuit of said solenoid device for actuation of saidsolenoid device on energizing of said second relay, and said time-delaythermoswitch being actuated by said transformer and interconnected withsaid first relay through said rectifier for delaying the energizing ofsaid armature of said first relay on the closure of said circuit closerand the de-energizing of said armature of said first relay on theopening of said circuit closer.

7. Automatic toilet flushing apparatus as specified in claim 6 wherein alow voltage converter is interposed in said electrical circuit meansbetween said source of electrical energy and said electric circuit foractuating said solenoid device and between said source of electricalenergy and said electro-mechanical unit, said low voltage converterbeing directly connected to said source of electrical energy withelectrical energy to said solenoid device and said electro-mechanicalunit being supplied through said low voltage converter.

8. In automatic toilet flushing apparatus, the combination of a flushtoilet, an electric circuit, a solenoid device ship for flushing saidtoilet, person operated circuit closer means interposed in said electriccircuit, and an electromechanical unit interposed in said electriccircuit between said circuit closer and said solenoid device, saidelectro mechanical unit including a switch actuated upon closure of saidnormally open circuit closer, a first relay includ* ing an armatureenergized by actuation of said switch, spaced contacts juxtaposed withrespect to said armature for actuation thereof by said armature, saidarmature having resilient means associated therewith in juxtapositionfor loading said armature and maintaining said spaced contacts open whensaid armature is energized and relaxing of said resilient means formomentary closing of said spaced contacts when said armature isde-energized, and a second relay momentarily actuated by closure of saidspaced contacts, said second relay momentarily completing the electriccircuit leading to said solenoid device When said armature isde-energized.

9. Automatic toilet flushing apparatus as specified in claim 8 whereinsaid switch includes a time-delay heating element for delayingenergization of said armature upon closing of said circuit closer andsubsequently delays breaking the circuit to said armature for a shorttime period after said circuit closer has opened, and said armatureincludes a plate on the forward end thereof provided with a threadedaperture which receives a threaded stud attached to a weighted head.

10. In automatic toilet flushing apparatus, electrical circuit means forflushing a toilet including a normally open person-operated circuitcloser, a time-delay thermoswitch actuated upon closing of said circuitcloser, a first relay energized by actuation of said time-delaythermoswitch, said first relay including an armature having springplates and an adjustable weighted head, a pair of spaced contactsjuxtaposed with respect to said armature for actuation thereof by saidarmature, a capacitor energized upon making of said pair of spacedcontacts, and a second relay energized by said capacitor, said armaturecoacting with said pair of spaced contacts and said capacitor whereby tomomentarily energize said second relay on de-energizing of said firstrelay, said second relay completing the electrical circuit means fortoilet flushing, and said time-delay thermoswitch, first relay, spacedcontacts, capacitor and second relay being assembled as a unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN AUTOMATIC TOILET FLUSHING APPARATUS, ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MEANS FORFLUSHING A TOILET INCLUDING A NORMALLY OPEN PERSON-OPERATED CIRCUITCLOSER, A TIME-DELAY THERMOSWITCH ACTUATED UPON CLOSING OF SAID NORMALLYOPEN PERSON-OPERATED CIRCUIT CLOSER, A FIRST RELAY ENERGIZED BYACTUATION OF SAID TIME-DELAY THERMOSWITCH, SPACED CONTACTS JUXTAPOSEDWITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST RELAY FOR MAKING AND BREAKING THEREOF BY SAIDFIRST RELAY, A CAPACITOR ENERGIZED UPON MAKING OF SAID SPACED CONTACTS,AND A SECOND RELAY ENERGIZED BY SAID CAPACITOR, SAID FIRST RELAYINCLUDING A WEIGHTED ARMATURE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE